The Harbinger Prize 2024: elevating teen voices in journalism

By Kimberly Yanez

Oxford, UK, April 17 – The Oxford School for the Future of Journalism (OXSFJ) is thrilled to announce The Harbinger Prize 2024, a ground-breaking initiative designed to spotlight and support the journalistic talents of teenagers from around the globe.

This competition is a key component of our mission to foster a new generation of journalists, offering them a platform to influence and shape discourse on matters that are significant to their peers.

We are on the lookout to invite seven teenagers between the ages of 15–17 in pre-university education from across the world to join the Harbingers’ Magazine project for the 2024/25 academic year. Winners will be selected in each category, along with the overall winner of The Harbinger Prize 2024. However, students already enrolled with the OXSFJ cannot take part in this competition.

Writers, photographers, or creators, have the objective of crafting a story that is relevant and impactful to the magazine’s young global audience. They will be contributing to a platform created by teenagers, for teenagers, making their voices a vital part of a larger dialogue.

Being the learning environment of our school, Harbingers’ Magazine is where students apply their journalism-related skills in real-world scenarios, crafting stories that speak to their generation. It’s a pioneering current affairs publication, entirely led and managed by the youngest of adults. It focuses on topics that matter to its global teenage audience, making every pitch, article, and podcast episode a reflection of the issues that resonate with them.

Submissions will be evaluated by the Harbingers’ Magazine Editorial Board and media professionals from the Oxford School for the Future of Journalism. The judging panel features luminaries such as BBC’s Kasia Madera and The Sunday Times’ Matthew Campbell, ensuring a comprehensive and inspiring evaluation process.

Those interested can sign up for the Harbingers’ Weekly Brief newsletter to receive all information about the categories, how to submit the piece and more.

Awards

Seven winners will join the Harbingers’ Magazine project, engaging directly in editorial decisions and content creation. One exceptional talent will be awarded The Harbinger Prize, winning a bespoke reporting trip, mentored by an OXSFJ instructor.

From October 2024, all winners will be awarded two hours of weekly tutoring until they finish the Essential Journalism course. Upon completion of the course, they will have a weekly writing session with their mentor, and an additional hour of editing workshop in case they join the Editorial Board.

Winners can invite up to two friends to join their learning journey, transforming individual awards into group opportunities.

Authors whom are shortlisted may receive offers to publish their work, along with a stipend of £50.

Key Dates and Procedure

Submission Deadline: August 1, 2024.

Shortlist Announcement: Up to five contenders per category will be unveiled on September 1, 2024.

Interviews: Interviews with the shortlisted authors are scheduled from September 10–20, 2024.

Winners Announcement: We will announce the winners in each category and The Harbinger Prize 2024 winner on September 30, 2024.

For more information on The Harbinger Prize 2024 click here
To send an enquiry, please email prize@hrbmagazine.com